Salem-News.com Weather articles

Former NASCAR Crew Chief Larry McReynolds Warns That Poor Car Maintenance Could Wreck Your Wallet (VIDEO)

Larry shares simple tips to help keep vehicles running smoothly during winter months.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Car accidents usually occur because someone has done something wrong while driving. The mistake could be something silly, like scraping the curb or it could be something more serious, like brake failure. One of the most common causes of car accidents is poor car maintenance.

Former NASCAR Crew Chief, Larry McReynolds tells our viewers the critical things they should do to keep their vehicles up and running during the winter months.

Harsh Weather Expected in NW Mountains

Since 1990, King County has experienced 11 federally declared flood disasters—an average of one every two years.

(OLYMPIA, Wash.) - The Olympics, North Cascades and Oregon coast are being slammed this week by a classic example of a “pineapple express” storm– a narrow plume of warm, wet air drawn northward from the tropics. Rainfall in the Olympics, Willapa Hills, and North Cascades is expected to reach 5-10 inches.

“Olympic rivers will flood and there is a strong possibility of flood downstream of the N. Cascades (e.g., Nooksack).”

Current High Surf and Wind Warnings for Oregon

High surf will affect beaches in the advisory area, producing rip currents and localized beach erosion.

(SALEM, Ore.) - A High Surf Advisory and High Wind Warnings are now in effect, and will remain so until 10:00 a.m. Tuesday for the entire Oregon coastline and the Coast Range.

During the storm, seas will climb to 23-27 feet, with periods around 11 seconds. Seas have already reached 23 feet off the mouth of the Columbia River, and will peak closer to the value of 27 feet tonight, during the strongest winds.

Tornado Touches Down Damaging Oregon Beachfront Houses

Forecasters say large swells generated by the storm will continue impacting the beaches along the West Coast through the rest of the weekend.

(LINCOLN CITY, Ore.) - 20 to 30 coastal homes were damaged Thursday night as a tornado slammed into the Oregon coast. The raging storm turned extremely violent at 9:54 p.m.

Oceanfront houses at Roads End, a community just north of Lincoln City, took the brunt of the damage, as the accompanying photo by local resident David Skirvin, shows the result of the storm damage.

Travel Hazards Due to Heavy Rain and Street Flooding

A current list of weather-related road and safety issues for Portland residents to have in mind.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Heavy rain and wind are creating a number of driving hazards in the Portland metro area. The Portland Bureau of Transportation Maintenance Operations crews are responding to reports of street flooding, high standing water at corners, clogged catch basins, and drainage problems throughout the city.

The following are listed closures and problems that residents need to be aware of a pay close attention to.

Precautions Necessary During Winter Storm Season

In the Northwest, heavy winter storms can wreck havoc on electrical systems. Trees are especially prone to being blown over by winds after heavy rains have saturated the ground.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - With storm season upon us, Pacific Power is reminding its customers and the public to take precautions.

"We work hard to avoid outages, but when bad weather strikes and outages happen, we work even harder to get the power back on quickly and safely," said Bill Eaquinto, vice president, operations.

Injury Crash With Semi-truck Hauling a Flat-bed Trailer Closes Highway 219 for Hours

Officials say the Saturn was traveling faster than was safe for the road.

(HILLSBORO, Ore.) - Washington County Deputies closed Highway 219 south of Hillsboro today after a car crashed into a semi-truck hauling a flat-bed trailer.

Firefighters had to extricate the occupants of the car, who were then transported to an area trauma center.

Volunteers Sought For Red Cross Emergency Warming Center

The Oregon Trail Chapter's emergency warming center will only be open in extreme weather, when triggers determined by the City of Portland are met.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - While this week's weather may be blustery, now's the time to start planning for the freezing temperatures Portland will see in the coming months.

Lise Harwin with the Oregon Trail Chapter of the American Red Cross, says volunteers are now being recruited to staff an emergency warming center that will serve our city's homeless population during extreme weather. The Oregon Trail Chapter of the American Red Cross has planned a number of orientation sessions.

Major Travel Delays, Flooding Threaten San Francisco to Los Angeles

Conditions improve across California Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night as the rain tapers off and winds diminish.

(SAN FRANCISCO) - Forecasters say after facing raging wildfires that threatened their homes late this summer, some California residents are now dealing with the threat of devastating flooding, mudslides and debris flows.

A major storm system bearing down on the West Coast will continue unleashing torrential rainfall and producing tropical storm-force winds across California. In addition to flooding and mudslides, the rain and wind will also lead to mounting airport delays, disrupted traffic and potential power outages.

Experts Say Winds and Dry Conditions Fuel Fire Conditions

Wildland fire agencies are not at full strength in the fall, since some of the seasonal firefighters have returned to their regular jobs or college classes. A larger fire this time of year would stretch resources thin.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Fire experts say easterly winds could elevate the risk of wildfire in northwestern Oregon forests this weekend. Foresters caution hunters and other outdoor recreationists heading afield to be mindful of activities that could start a wildfire.

"The forecast is for gusty winds," Oregon Department of Forestry's Neal Laugle said.